Snowball Plant
A Quick Guide to Snowball Plant Care
There are few plants as lovely as the snowball plant. Although the flowers that bloom on the plant do not have any fragrance, they are ostentatious and large and are interesting visual showpieces in any garden.
The snowball plant blooms in early summer and has florets that can be over 1 inch in diameter. There are no fruits on the plant, but the blooms more than make up for it, since the blooms can be large and flashy. In the southern regions, the plant can grow to be 20 feet in height.
Originally from China, the snowball plant acts like a semi-evergreen. It prefers a location that is protected and soil that is well-drained. Although it can reach up to 20 feet, on average it tends to grow at around 15 feet in height and 15 feet in width. It is considered a shrub, although most people probably think of it as a flower due to its large white blossoms.
It blooms from late spring until early summer and does quite well in warm regions. It prefers soil that is either sandy loam or partial clay and contains some moisture. It's important not to over-water the snowball plant, but to keep the soil nice and moist.
A good thing about this plant is that it is very easy to take care of. In fact, it requires very little upkeep and still manages to produce lovely blossoms all the same.
It is best to plant it in full or partial sun. You can plant it at any time of the year but be prepared for it to start growing in early spring. It might actually be one of the first things to bloom in your garden.
Be prepared for your plant to grow quite large. For this reason, you should not plant it too close to other plants or flowers, as it can overtake them and overwhelm them. You might not want to plant several together, either, as they can compete for attention and space. Instead, snowball plants are best planted as individual specimens.
If your plant starts growing too large then you should trim it back. Of course, if you want it large then you don't have to do this. For the best results, trim the plant back after it has finished blooming.
If it is having trouble blooming, then you can try using a 0-10-10 fertilizer around it. It's important not to over-fertilize it, however, and to follow the directions on the fertilizer for the best results.
If your snowball plant is starting to look wilted, then you might try watering it slowly once a day. However, it's important to keep the soil moist and not wet. If you live in an area that receives rain at least once a week, then you probably won't need to water it at all, unless you go for 10 days or more without any rain. In that case, you might have to help nature along.